Conference paper
St. Ignatius of Loyola as Founder of the Society of Jesus
Franjo Pšeničnjak
; Filozofsko-teološki institut Družbe Isusove, u Zagrebu, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Abstract
Ignatius of Loyola and the first Jesuits considered Jesus Christ as their founder fin the mistical sense, of course/. Accordingly, when Ignatius of Loyola is mentioned in this paper as the »founder« od the Society of Jesus, he is considered as the person who, through his charisma, inspired and gathered others about him He founded the Society of Jesus taking into account the experience of other orders, e.g. Franciscans / he spent his youth in a franciscan athmosphere/, Dominicans / his confessors/, Benedictines / he had few but significant encounters with them/, Carthusians / their spirit is present in the »Exercitia spiritualia«, and the regular clergy / he adopted their mode of life, their dress. In founding the Society of Jesus, Ignatius intruduced something essentially new. Jesuits are not mordcs, they are clerics and apostles with an universal mission. Accordingly, they have to seek God in all things, not only in the forms defined up to that time. Therefore, no »observance« are required, but a »normal mode oflife«. The Ignatian quality of the Society of Jesus consists to a lesser degree of details and new rules, but much of the consequent carrying out of single directives leading to more perfect serving of the Curch, requiring disponibiliiy and mobility as well as constant adaptation to time, place, persons, and circumstances.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
51018
URI
Publication date:
20.4.1993.
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